Setting up a new diary

From the main menu:

Select Diary by pressing the letter D (do not worry if you cannot see the diary option, the computer will find it!)

Press the Esc key (usually in the top left hand corner of your keyboard) to set up diaries and answer Yes to the question. Do you want to set up diaries now?.

Select Add a new diary (either highlight the option and press return or press the letter A)

Select Add

You will be prompted for a diary name - call it "Test"

1. Number of pages? - Accept the default of 91 ( this gives you 3 months,)
   
   
2. Start time? - Enter the time of your first appointment. Be careful, if you enter a time EARLIER than your first appointment, someone may be tempted to book it !
   
   
3. Alternate slots.....? - If you want NO gaps between appointment times eg:
   0900
   0910
   0920
   then press return to accept 0 slots, if you want one gap eg:
   0900
   B
   0910
   B
   0920
   then press 1 and return.
   
   You can decide how many slots you want depending on how many vets there are consulting. You may also want to add a spare slot so that extra appointments can be fitted in if necessary, should a client phone up and need an appointment in an already booked surgery. You can allocate a slot per vet. For instance: If you have two vets consulting between 0900 and 1000 and you want a spare slot as well you would answer
   
   0900 to the start time
   
   2 slots
   
   1000 as the finish time.
   
   Your page will look like this:
   0900
   B
   C
   0910
   B
   C
   0920
   B
   C etc etc...
   
   The timed slot could be for Vet A, the B slot for Vet B and the C slot spare. Anyone making an appointment for Vet A would always book 0900, 0910, 0920 etc. For Vet B, you would book the B slot under the appropriate time and, if you wanted to squeeze someone in you would book the C slot under the appropriate time.
   
   
4. Enter finish time - enter the time of the last appointment. If you always run over by an additional appointment then make this the last appointment otherwise stick to the official time.
   
   
5. Period length in minutes - Enter the correct figure. it must agree with the times you have entered as start and finish. If you have 0900 as you start time and 0945 as a finish time, you cannot put an appointment length of 10 mins as it is not divisible!
   
   You will now have the prompt line Start time or Quit on the screen.
   
   For this example, answer Q for quit.
   
   Now press return to continue, and return to accept the default start date.
   
   
6. Edit standard block bookings ? Answer No. Block bookings are a separate feature.
   
   
7. Make this the default diary ? - No
   
   
8. Default waiting room list ? - No
   
   
9. Surgeries to read as waiting room list? - None
   
   You will now be back at a menu, press return to Quit, your diary should appear as an option. Select it and you can now practice making appointments etc.